Dinner with my son 6-30-12

Dinner with my son 6-30-12

Yesterday I cleaned house madly in the morning so I could make the 12:35 ferry to Vashon for camp.  I rushed out of the house after chatting quickly with Scott’s sister, Brother-in-law and nephew.  They had stopped by for some tickets to the Historics which is a car show and race at Pacific Raceways.  This is a huge fundraiser for Children’s Hospital and we go every year.  We usually see Kathryn’s neurosurgeon there, as he is big into cars and races himself.  Anyhow I had to rush off and was not able to spend much time with them at all.

So I get to the ferry and other people are in line.  The time is 12:35, which is sailing time and the ferry is still there not taking on any cars.  There was still a tanker truck on the ferry and they seemed to be maneuvering the ferry around like they were trying to get it to line up with the landing better.  At 12:45 I got out of the car to ask a couple of people if there was a 12:35 ferry and each person seemed to think there was.  So being who I am I walked down to the ferry booth and asked.  No ferry until 1:40.  The 12:35 is only on weekends.  Thank goodness the Taste of Tacoma was going on.  I walked up to the park and checked it out. 

Once I arrived at camp I was put to work.  We had to pack up all of the Arts and Crafts stuff.  There is a lot of stuff.  Dinner at camp was outside for Bar-b-Que.  And then the dance.  Wow!  The kids love the dance.  The staff decorated the place so great and everyone was all dressed up.  I was in charge of the tattoo table.  I’m not sure who liked getting tattoos better the staff or the campers. 

After the dance everyone headed up to the other building.  We watched a slide show.  It was made up of pictures some of the campers had taken during their photography sessions and pictures taken by the adult photographers of campers.  What I really noticed is how the kids and staff cheered for all of the campers.  The cheers were extremely loud for the campers with the most medical problems.  It was wonderful.  At the end of the slide show there are some long good-byes and this is when campers shed a great deal of tears.  They love each other and camp so much that it is hard to see it come to an end. 

So today (Saturday) was one of those lazy days.  I was pretty tired because I got home late.  I think the emotional part of camp makes me tired too.  I took Princess for a walk and did a little laundry.  I also went shopping but most of all I waiting to see Richard.

Richard came home for a short spell and had dinner with us.  I thought a lot about him this week knowing camp would be difficult for him as it would be his first time without Kathryn.  He has a lot of people there who love him and are watching out for him.  I’m very thankful for that.  A couple of days ago I laid on his bed thinking about him.  When Kathryn was really sick towards the end he laid backwards in his bed so he could hear us better in her room.  He was always ready to jump up and help if needed in the middle of the night.  Back to dinner.  I love having him here.  I love that we all sat down to dinner and he shared with us things about camp.  I love hearing what he did and how things went for him.  We had such a nice time just talking at the dinner table.  Just like old times. 

I talked to one of Richard’s friends on the ferry last night.  I said to her at one point in the conversation, “I hate change.”  I have said this before.  I know change happens but I like my life to be consistent and have the people around me that I love.  I don’t like people to go away and make things different.  But we have to deal with change as it comes.  As she and I talked tonight happiness came up.  We all make our own happiness.  I shared with her the time Kathryn had told me that her boyfriend had taken her happiness away when he broke up with her.  I told her that no one can take your happiness and that you make your own happiness.  Your happiness is inside of you and only you have control over it. 

I saw Richard off as he headed to Seattle for the Camp Staff party.  As I stood there her pointed out a panda pin that was pinned to his nametag.  He asked me if I saw it.  I said that I had noticed it earlier in the week.  One of the staff had given it to him and she also had one for his girlfriend Bee.  He remembered that this same girl gave me a panda necklace earlier this week too.  I was glad that he had pointed this out to me.  I will see him soon as we are going to the Sounders game on the 7^th.  He is bringing Lauren with him.  She is a sweet girl and she is looking forward to it.  It will be a fun night.  It will be good for all of us to go out and have fun.

Tomorrow Scott and I are going to the Historics.  It will be fun.  I like walking through the pits.  Scott knows so many of the people.  There is always a famous driver there.  I had my picture taken with Bobby Unser one time.  Scott will bring his helmet that he gets signed by all these famous guys.  Who knows, maybe it will be worth a few bucks some day.  Enough to retire!  Ha! Ha!

Take Care – Good Night